Discover 10 Outstanding AAPI Authors to Read This May
- chloebookvibes
- May 26
- 4 min read
AAPI Month—Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month—takes place every May. It honors the history, culture, and contributions of the AAPI community. It’s a time to celebrate achievements, raise awareness of ongoing challenges, and promote understanding and solidarity. Events include festivals, cultural programs, and discussions like this one.
If you want to explore powerful stories about culture and identity, these AAPI authors offer a wide range of voices you won’t want to miss. From gripping thrillers to heartfelt memoirs and rich historical fiction, their work is deeply shaped by their heritage. Whether you seek emotional depth, fierce characters, or thought-provoking themes, these authors deliver fresh perspectives.
Michelle Zauner was born March 29, 1989, in South Korea and raised in Oregon. She is a musician, singer, and writer, best known for her indie pop project Japanese Breakfast. Her memoir, Crying in H Mart (2021), explores grief after losing her mother and the complexities of growing up mixed-race in America. Through food, memory, and music, she pieces together an identity shaped by love and loss.
Cherry Lou Sy is from the Philippines and now lives in New York. Love Can’t Feed You (2024) follows Queenie, who immigrates to the U.S. with her family. Reunited with her mother after years apart, Queenie struggles to belong—caught between two homes, two identities, and two versions of love.
Sanjena Sathian, an Indian American author, explores myth, diaspora, and identity. Goddess Complex (2025) follows Tara, a disgraced tech CEO hiding in Georgia. After her mother’s death, she is drawn into a mysterious Indian women’s group and a legacy of divine power. Blending satire and spirituality, the novel asks what we owe the women who came before us.
Malinda Lo, a Chinese American author, writes across genres. Last Night at the Telegraph Club (2021) is set in 1950s San Francisco and follows Lily Hu, a Chinese American teenager discovering her queerness amid fear and silence. When she meets Kath at a lesbian bar, her world shifts as she searches for truth, safety, and love.
Ocean Vuong is a Vietnamese American poet and novelist. The Emperor of Gladness (2025) follows Hai, a 19-year-old man saved from suicide by Grazina, an 81-year-old widow with dementia. Their unlikely bond reveals grief, class, memory, and survival. Told in fragments, the novel blends raw emotion with poetic depth.
Ling Ling Huang, a Chinese American author and violinist, wrote Immaculate Conception (2025). It follows Enka, a struggling artist obsessed with Mathilde, a rising star. Using a device called the SCAFFOLD, Enka inhabits Mathilde’s mind—blurring lines between connection and control. The novel explores jealousy, technology, and the cost of intimacy.
Alafair Burke, a Chinese American bestselling author and legal scholar, writes gripping psychological thrillers. The Note (2025) follows May Hanover, a law professor who reunites with childhood friends for a weekend that turns dark. A prank note on a stranger’s car sparks a missing person investigation, unraveling secrets and testing loyalties. The novel explores betrayal, friendship, and past trauma with sharp twists.
Chanel Miller, a Chinese American writer and artist, shares her journey of trauma and healing. Know My Name (2019) is her memoir about surviving sexual assault and reclaiming her identity after being known as "Emily Doe." The book is a powerful call for justice and survivor voices.
Cathy Park Hong, a Korean American poet and essayist, wrote Minor Feelings (2020), a blend of memoir, cultural criticism, and history. It explores racial identity and the Asian American experience with sharp honesty, examining invisibility, trauma, and resilience.
Celeste Ng is a Chinese American novelist known for her family dramas. Her bestselling novels, Everything I Never Told You (2014) and Little Fires Everywhere (2017), explore race, identity, and family secrets in suburban America. Ng’s storytelling is emotionally rich and deeply relatable.
These AAPI authors offer more than stories—they open windows into diverse experiences shaped by history, culture, and identity. Their voices challenge, inspire, and invite readers to see the world through fresh perspectives. Whether you’re new to AAPI literature or looking to deepen your reading list, these authors are a powerful place to start. Celebrate AAPI heritage beyond a single month—carry these stories with you all year long.
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